Nordic Confederation
The Nordic Confederation (Swedish: Nordiska Edsförbundet, Finnish: Pohjoismainen valtioliitto, Norwegian: Nordiske Konføderasjonen, Danish: Nordiske Forbundet, Faroese: Nordiska Samgongan, Russian: Скандинавская конфедерация) is a Confederation of countries, most of them Scandinavian. History Geography Legal entities The Nordic Confederation consists of both autonomous and confederate lands. The autonomous lands, also known as countries, are Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Karelia, Murmanskaya, Iceland and the Faroes. These countries have gained historical independence either through historical rights or through independence from other countries. The confederate lands are lands under direct control of the Nordic Confederation. These are Spitsbergen (placed under Norwegian rule), Jan Mayen (ditto), Bouvet Island (ditto), Novaya Zemlya (under Murmansk rule), Franz Josef Land (ditto), Severnaya Zemlya (part of the Arctic Islands Confederate Lands), New Siberian Islands (ditto), Wrangel Island (ditto), Ellesmere Island (part of the Inuit Autonomous Confederate Lands), and Axel Heiberg Island (ditto). Autonomous lands Confederate lands Svalbard Svalbard was incorporated into Norway following the signing of the Svalbard Treaty on 9 February 1920, after the Paris Peace Conference. The treaty took effect on 14 August 1925, however, Svalbard was not incorporated into any of Norway's counties and was instead governed as an unincorporated area under the rule of a governour. After the ratification of the Nordic Treaty on 1 January 1970, Svalbard, as an unincorporated area, was given the status of "Confederate Land" under direct rule of the Kingdom of Norway. In practice, this only meant a change in terminology and no governmental changes were actually made. Jan Mayen Jurisdiction over Jan Mayen was given to Norway by the League of Nations in 1920, and in 1921 Norway opened its first meteorological station there. The island was fully annexed as an unincorporated area without governour, instead being directly ruled by the Norwegian Government and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. After the ratification of the Nordic Treaty on 1 January 1970, Jan Mayen, together with Bear Island, as an unincorporated area, was given the status of "Confederate Land" under direct rule of the Kingdom of Norway. In practice, this only meant a change in terminology and no governmental changes were actually made. Bouvet Island Jurisdiction over Bouvet Island was attained through an Act of Parliament from Norway in 1927 and officially incorporated into the Kingdom of Norway in 1930 as a dependency. The island itself has since then served as a meteorological station. After the ratification of the Nordic Treaty on 1 January 1970, Bouvet Island was made a Confederate Land under direct dependency of the Kingdom of Norway, effectively making no changes. Novaya Zemlya Novaya Zemlya was and still is incorporated as the Novaya Zemlya District in Murmanskaya. When Murmansk Oblast gained independence from the post-Soviet Union in 1993, Novaya Zemlya was taken with it. After the joining of Murmanskaya into the Nordic Treaty in 1995, Novaya Zemlya was incorporated as a Confederate Land on request of the local inhabitants and the indigenous Nenetses who moved back to the island from the . For administrative purposes it however still is a District of Murmanskaya and is treated as a Murmansk dependency. Franz Josef Land Franz Josef Land was and still is incorporated as the Franz Josef Land District in Murmanskaya. When Murmansk Oblast gained independence from the post-Soviet Union in 1993, Franz Josef Land was taken with it. After the joining of Murmanskaya into the Nordic Treaty in 1995, Franz Josef Land was incorporated as a Confederate Land under direct rule of Murmanskaya. As the islands are uninhabited, this change in administration had no virtual impact. Arctic Islands Confederate Lands The Arctic Islands Confederate Lands, consisting of Severnaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands, and Wrangel Island, were incorporated into the Nordic Confederation after the ratification of the Nordic Treaty on 1 January 1970. The three islands became refugee strongholds for Tsarist supporters after the 1917 and requested support from the Kingdom of Norway, which was granted. In 1929, an Act of Parliament from the Parliament of Norway annexed the three islands as three separate Norwegian counties. The islands remained a source of conflict throughout much of the 20th century, often causing stand-offs between European and Soviet naval vessels due to the proximity of the islands to Soviet soil, culminating in amongst others the 1957 Severnaya Zemlya conflict and the 1976 Battle for Wrangel Island. After the ratification of the Nordic Treaty in 1970, the islands were incorporated into the Confederation as counties of the Kingdom of Norway. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and with relative safety for self-rule, the islands requested to become an autonomous Confederate Land under direct control of all members of the Confederation. The request was granted on 3 September 1994. Inuit Autonomous Confederate Lands The Inuit Autonomous Confederate Lands, consisting of Ellesmere Island and Axel Heiberg Island, were annexed by the Confederation from Canada after the ratification of the Nordic-Canadian Inuit Treaty on request of the indigenous Inuit population of the islands on 27 August 2005. Canada maintains a special economic status on the islands. The islands maintain a form of self-rule under the combined force of countries of the Nordic Confederation. Politics Economy Infrastructure Culture Category:Nordic Confederation